The complex political situation in Spain affects all levels, including the military. The evolution of the negotiations with the nationalists, the demands since Waterloo, the demands from the Basque Country… All the approaches are the subject of debates and gatherings in private settings within the armies.
Its members are no strangers to the political debate and the future consequences that may arise. Nobody speaks in public. They have it prohibited. But in the uniformed liars the discomfort is palpable. Because they notice that they will be one of the most affected sectors. “Any measure adopted against the military is always very attractive in the radical world and the independentists ‘sell’ it well among their own,” active commanders point out to this newspaper.
They take it for granted that soon the ranks of the PSOE will assume the reduction or even the significant departure of troops and the closure of agencies. “Surely in Catalonia the cut will be brutal.”
Where these commanders have placed the red line is in the right to self-determination. They remember the article 8: “The Armed Forces, made up of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, have the mission of guaranteeing the sovereignty and independence of Spain, defending its territorial integrity and the constitutional order.” The sources consulted by this newspaper consider that a vote focused on a demand by the independentists of an area of Spain directly affects the Constitution.
But given that, would the military members of these cenacles make active decisions? Not at all. They explain that no one will be able to talk about saber rattling. «Not at all. We will never deviate from the law,” they insist. But they do point out possible “movements” that could be carried out if Moncloa gives in to the nationalists’ claims. It would be a “passive movement.” As they explain, there is talk of the possibility of handing over the baton of command. That is, jointly, a significant number of active commanders, with high responsibilities in the country’s security, would resign from their operational positions and would make themselves available to the Ministry of Defense awaiting new orders. And what reasons could they give for giving up this command? Well, as they explain, from personal reasons (a perch that allows any type of interpretation) to reasons of conscience.